334 COSMIC PHILOSOPHY. [pt. ii. 



the most important of the chemical elements concerned in 

 maintaining vital activity. Now when we compare this 

 property of nitrogen with the apparent excess of carbon in 

 the albumen-molecule, we may fairly surmise that the two 

 facts indicate a balance between the forces that tend to pro- 

 duce internal rearrangement and the forces that tend to 

 prevent disintegration. 



Fifthly, besides the fact that organic bodies usually possess 

 an amount of heat which keeps their temperature somewhat 

 above that of their inorganic environment, we have to note 

 the fact that all organic matter is permeated by water. 

 Hence, while sufficiently solid to preserve their continuity of 

 structure, organic bodies are sufficiently plastic to allow of 

 much internal rearrangement. 



If we had time, it would be interesting to go on and trace 

 the facts just enumerated through many complex exemplifi- 

 cations. We might comment at length upon the significance 

 of the facts that certain animals, as the Rotifer a, lose their 

 vitality when dried and regain it when wetted ; that vital 

 activity everywhere demands a supply of heat, and that the 

 most complex organisms are in general the warmest ; that 

 animals contain more nitrogen than plants, and are at the 

 same time more highly evolved; that carnivorous animals 

 are relatively stronger and more active than herbivorous 

 animals ; that the parts of animals which are the seats of 

 the highest vitality are mainly nitrogenous, while the more 

 inert parts are mainly carbonaceous ; that the highly nitro- 

 genous matter composing the nervous system is nevertheless 

 — as if to preserve the balance — always accompanied by 

 inert carbonaceous fat; and that, while a nitrogenous diet 

 renders possible the greatest quantity of physical and mental 

 activity, at the same time carbonaceous alcohol retards the 

 waste of nervous tissue. 



But even without entering upon such a course of illustra- 

 tion — which would oblige us to defer our main subject until 



